Tobacco Retail Licence
Apply for Tobacco Retail Licence
Health Sciences Authority (HSA)
For Business Users only
This licence is only for business users with a registered Unique Entity Number (UEN).
Please use desktop / laptop to apply for this licence.You can only view application details and make payment via mobile. Please use GoBusiness Licensing on desktop to use all features.
Continue to GoBusiness Licencing anyway
Application Details
For the retail of tobacco products
FAQ
- Do I need to apply for this licence?
You will need to apply for a tobacco licence if you intend to sell tobacco products by retail at a physical outlet. The tobacco retail licence issued is specific to only one outlet. Separate applications need to be submitted if an applicant is operating more than one outlet.
For a registered company, the company shall authorize a person in managerial position to apply for the licence on its behalf via CorpPass.
For sole proprietorship or partnership, the person whose name registered with Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) should apply for the tobacco retail licence under his/her name with CorpPass.
For individuals with NEA Hawker licence, please apply for the tobacco retail licence under his/her name via SingPass . - 2. What conditions do I need to fulfil?
a. Applicants must be registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) or licensed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to retail food and beverages. However, retail of tobacco products is not allowed at makeshift or temporary stalls;
b. Applicants must be above the Minimum Legal Age (MLA);
c. Applicants must not have previously committed any offence for selling tobacco products to persons below the MLA;
d. Applicant must be able to supervise the sale of tobacco products and verify the age of buyers;
e. Applicants must ensure that the tobacco retail licence will not be located in any of the following premises:
Hospitals, Medical Clinics, Pharmacies, Chinese Medical Halls, Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinics;
Gaming Arcades; or
Institutions under Ministry of Education (MOE) or Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) such as Child Care Centres, Pre-schools, Kindergartens, Rehabilitative Homes, Schools, Institute of Technical Education (ITEs), Polytechnics, Universities.
f. Paragraphs 1 to 5 apply to an applicant that is not an individual as if the references in these paragraphs refer to the applicant and every director and similar officer of the applicant.
For Foodshop/Foodstall SFA licensees operating as Food Establishments, please apply under the Business Category "Food Establishments" if you have a company registration with ACRA via CorpPass.
However, if you do not have a company registration with ACRA such as NEA Hawker licence, please select the Business Category "Food Establishments" via SingPass.
If you are unsure of your business category, please contact the Tobacco Regulation Branch for advice before submitting the application to us. - How soon can my application be processed?
The application will be processed upon receipt of a complete application with all the relevant supporting documents submitted to the Authority, with the initial application payment collected.
Please ensure that all details are correctly filled up. The application will not be processed if there are any missing or incomplete documents or lack of payment.
Do take note that the Authority may ask for additional documents to support the licence application.
For more information on the supporting documents needed, please refer to the HSA website: https://www.hsa.gov.sg/tobacco-regulation/licences/retail - How much does this licence cost and how long is it valid?
The new licence application fee is $400 ($60 for application fee and $340 licence fee). It is valid for 12 months.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for a Inter bank GIRO account for subsequent years payment.
The GIRO form can be downloaded from the HSA website. - How can I download the approved the tobacco retail licence?
The outlet can only retail tobacco products upon the successful change in status of the application to "Approved" with the issuance of the licence number. The licence number can be obtained from our HSA website:http://eservice.hsa.gov.sg/prism/common/enquirepublic/SearchTRURetail.do?action=load
After the change in the status of the application to "Approved", the electronic copy of the licence will be made available in the GoBusiness Licensing website, under the tab "Licences" for download. - Who can I contact for further details?
For further assistance, please contact :
Tobacco Regulation Branch
Vigilance, Compliance & Enforcement Cluster
Health Products Regulation Group
Health Sciences Authority
3 Biopolis Drive, #03-16
Synapse Building
Singapore 138623
Tel: 6684 2031 / 2032
Fax: 6684 1502
Email:hsa_trb@hsa.gov.sg
Website:https://www.hsa.gov.sg/tobacco-regulation/licences/retail - What is the application process like?
It may take you 20 minutes to complete the online application.
CorpPass is required for login at GoBusiness Licensing for companies while SingPass is required for login by applicants without Company registration.
After the applicant has submitted the licence application online with the initial application fee payment, the HSA will process the licence application upon receipt of a complete application with all the relevant supporting documents submitted to the Authority. The applicant may be contacted by HSA if more supporting documents are required to support the licence application.
Please ensure that all details are correctly filled up. The application will not be processed if there are any missing, incomplete documents or lack of payment.
The payment for the application is split into 2 payment mode.
An initial payment of an application fee of $60 is collected during the submission of the licence application.The fee is non-refundable.
Upon the approval of the licence application by the Authority, the applicant will be notified via email/sms to make the second remaining payment of $300 licence fees within a one month period, or else the application will lapse and the applicant will need to resubmit a new licence application again for approval.
If the application is rejected by the Authority or withdrawn by the applicant, there is no second payment and there is no refund for the collected application fee.
Please note that it is an offence to commence the sale of tobacco products while the application is being processed until the second payment of application fee had been made to the Authority with the issue of the licence.
You are only allowed to engage in the retail sales of the tobacco products after the approval of your licence application with the second payment made to the Authority.
Anyone caught in the sale of tobacco products at their outlet within the licence application processing period is deemed as a contravention of the Tobacco (Control of Advertisement and Sale) Act and its subsidiary legislation.
Upon the successful collection of the second remaining payment, the application will be approved with the issue of the electronic copy of the licence in GoBusiness Licensing for download.
There will be no issue of the hardcopy licence. - Other frequently asked questions?
Licensees are reminded to comply with the obligations stated therein in addition to the specified licence conditions. Upon conviction for non-compliance, offenders can be punished with imprisonment and/or fine. Offenders may also have their licenses suspended or revoked.
THE TOBACCO (CONTROL OF ADVERTISEMENTS AND SALE) ACT
a) Smoking/Tobacco-related Advertisements
Advertisements relating to smoking are prohibited. Licensees must seek exemption from the Authority from this requirement.
b) Tobacco Products As Free Gift
Tobacco products must not be given away as free gift, as free sample or as prize. Tobacco products also cannot be sold with other products as free gift, or in conjunction with any other goods.
c) Prohibition Of Sale Of Tobacco Products To persons below the MLA
Licensees cannot sell, directly or indirectly, tobacco products to persons below the MLA. Licensees are responsible for their employees and must ensure that they comply with this prohibition.
d) No Sale Of Cigarettes In Package Of Less Than 20 Sticks
With effect from 1 Dec 03, cigarettes pack that contain less than 20 sticks must not be sold in Singapore.
e) Prohibition Notice
Sufficient notices that the sale of tobacco products to persons below the MLA is prohibited must be prominently displayed.
f) Prohibition On Sale Of Imitation Tobacco Products
There shall be no sale of any confectionary, food products, toys or any other article that is designed to resemble a tobacco product or to resemble the packaging associated with tobacco products.
g) Health Warnings On Tobacco Products
Licensees must ensure that all tobacco products carry the mandatory health-warning labels.
h) Tobacco Products for Sale
The licensee (with exception of duty-free and specialist tobacconist businesses) must ensure that only one packet of each pack size of each cigarette brand is allowed to be displayed in the tobacco storage unit whenever exposed to customers or members of the public during re-stocking or tobacco sales transactions.
i) The tobacco licence is non-transferable.
j) Licensees shall inform the Authority on any changes in the particulars pertaining to the licence not later than 3 days after changes have been effected.
Additional Information
Fees
New licence valid for 12 months - $400 per year
Documents Needed
- NRIC of Applicants
File format: DOC,DOCX,XLS,XLSX,PPT,PPTX,PDF,JPG,JPEG,BMP,TIF,TIFF
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB - Tenancy Agreement / Documents on Ownership of Property
File format: DOC,DOCX,XLS,XLSX,PPT,PPTX,PDF,JPG,JPEG,BMP,TIF,TIFF
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB - SFA Hawker Licence
NEA Hawker Licence
File format: DOC,DOCX,XLS,XLSX,PPT,PPTX,PDF,JPG,JPEG,BMP,TIF,TIFF
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB - Site plan for outlets located at construction sites
File format: DOC,DOCX,XLS,XLSX,PPT,PPTX,PDF,JPG,JPEG,BMP,TIF,TIFF
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB - Letter from construction company allowing the applicant/company to operate their outlet at the construction site
For outlets located at Construction Sites
File format: DOC,DOCX,XLS,XLSX,PPT,PPTX,PDF,JPG,JPEG,BMP,TIF,TIFF
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB - Authorisation letter (applicants applying on behalf of company)
File format: DOC,DOCX,XLS,XLSX,PPT,PPTX,PDF,JPG,JPEG,BMP,TIF,TIFF
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB - GIRO Form
GIRO Form for subsequent deductions of licence related fees.
File format: DOC,DOCX,XLS,XLSX,PPT,PPTX,PDF,JPG,JPEG,BMP,TIF,TIFF
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB
